Tres Palacios Bay
Encyclopedia
Tres Palacios Bay is a northeastern extension of Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay is a large estuary bay on the Texas coast, lying in Calhoun and Matagorda counties and located approximately northeast of Corpus Christi, southeast of San Antonio, southwest of Houston, and southeast of Austin. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Matagorda Peninsula and...

 on the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 coast in Matagorda County. It is fed by the Tres Palacios River. The city of Palacios
Palacios, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,153 people, 1,661 households, and 1,244 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,021.4 people per square mile . There were 1,976 housing units at an average density of 391.7 per square mile...

 is located on its shores. A channel that connects Palacios to the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...

 has been dredged through the bay.

History

Two conflicting stories explain the name of the bay Tres Palacios, which is Spanish for "Three Palaces". One account describes the aftermath of a Spanish shipwreck on Matagorda Bay. As the survivors approached present-day Palacios, they saw three palaces on the shore. However, when they reached land, the palaces mysteriously disappeared. Another account explains that the bay was named for José Félix Trespalacios
José Félix Trespalacios
José Félix Trespalacios was the first governor of Coahuila y Texas as part of the United Mexican States.Trespalacios was a member of the militia in Chihuahua but then in 1814 was charged with organizing rebellion and was sentenced to death. His sentence was reduced to ten years in prison, but he...

, who briefly served as Governor of Texas in the 1820s.

Before Palacios was founded in the early 20th Century, several settlements were established on the bay. Tres Palacios was founded in the 1830s, and was widely known as Tidehaven due to its location on the outer tidal reaches of the bay. A blacksmith shop, two hotels and a market were constructed in the town by the 1850s, and a post office was established in 1856. Palacios Point was founded in 1838 at the confluence of the Matagorda and Tres Palacios Bays. Along with houses, a few wharves and warehouses were constructed prior to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. However, most of these buildings were torn down or abandoned in the 1880s due to storms and legal conflicts. Portsmouth was established in the same area following the arrival of the railroad in 1902, but it never developed into a substantial settlement.

Shortly after the founding of Palacios, Collegeport
Collegeport, Texas
Collegeport is an unincorporated community in Matagorda County, Texas, United States.Founded on May 25, 1908, Collegeport is located on the Trespalacios Bay, which outlets into the Matagorda Bay.-Early days:...

 was established on the opposite end of the bay. The town's name derived from the Gulf Coast University of Industrial Arts, which had been erected in the area by the Hurd Land Company. The town prospered in cattle, until the late 1910s, when a farming shortage, followed by an icestorm caused many residents to leave. The University was closed in 1952. Collegeport still exists, and had a population of 85 people during the 2000 U.S. Census.

Ecosystem

The bay is a popular fishing destination, specializing in shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...

 and blue crab production. It is also recognized as an ideal birding locale; over 300 species of birds have been spotted near the bay, and it led the nation during the National Audubon Society
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...

's Annual Christmas bird count from 2000 to 2002.
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